Wednesday, March 14, 2012

I have the greatest girlfriends in the world! Due to circumstantial conflicts (i.e... 5 kids in 4 years) my dream trip of going to Italy for my 40th birthday has been postponed. A girl's weekend was the perfect substitute, and we opted for Scottsdale for many practical reasons (warm in January, a little easier to get to, etc.). Eight of us were able to come, and a few others tried but couldn't swing it, but they were missed. Here is the group: from L to R it's Liz, me, JJ, Holly, Michelle, Caroline, Sarah, Tiffany. THANK YOU so much for flying in from DC, Colorado, California and Utah, you guys! I felt very loved, and it was seriously the perfect girly-weekend (food, sleep, shopping, makeovers, movies, girl chat, blow-outs, massage-ish thingy's).Candy store with over-the-top huge candy. Matt loves licorice (though he's more of a Red Vines guy than a Twizzlers, but I still took this shot for him to text him while I was gone).

Appointments at the "Dry Bar" were really fun.

I wish I could remember the name of this restaurant - is it True Food or something like that? Anyway, all healthy and organic clever combinations. And, yes, Liz did get me/us some bad-for-you cakes, as needed! Thanks, Liz!

Here's Michelle, Caroline, Sarah and Tiffany

Me and Liz.

Holly, Tiff and JJ at the Dry Bar

Caroline added into this angle.

Thanks for making that weekend so memorable, ladies! I love you all more than you know and miss you like crazy. Hope to see you all again, soon!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

I need to do a better job of taking pictures because it's the kids who always have the camera, and they are always photographing Luke. Well I want more of the whole family, so it's a goal of mine to work on that. Here's a great couple of shots of Nate and Kayla with the baby. Luke adores all of his siblings, individually, and has the greatest relationship with them. With Kayla it's all fun and sweet and kisses and giggles. Ashley's the other mom of the house - she's so amazing and so capable it blows my mind (she can get him to go to sleep better than me sometimes!). Shaun and Nate are true brothers in every sense of the word. They get him to laugh at true boy things, wrestle with him, and are great babysitters for me when I need to make dinner or be a carpool mom. I am determined to get more pictures of the other kids on this camera...

And a word about my amazing husband... every night he puts Luke to bed. It's his "time" with Luke and it's a little tradition. I'm with Luke all day long, and Luke is in a phase right now where he always wants ME, literally always, and I'm kinda his whole world. As much as I love it, and know to soak it up because it won't last forever, I also just sometimes need to get dinner made or run one of the teenagers somewhere, etc., so it can be tricky. I love Luke's cuddles and kisses, and he is the biggest gift to our family. At night when I need to clean up the kitchen and get the older kids dialed in (homework, chatting time with them, etc.), Matt established this little routine with Luke and after we bathe him and get pj's on him, Matt takes over, reads to him, plays with him, calms him down in his room, and puts him to bed. It's his time with Luke, and gives me some of my own time. I have the greatest husband - I feel humbled and blessed to have him every day of my life.